SOMA wanted to take the concept of the New York Loft, and import it to the coast of Lebanon in this unique seaside property. Using a virtual knife to carve out a plane from the earth, and raise it as if were annullable skin, SOMA then inserted all living functions directly underneath in the form of an open-floor plan with no partitions. Skylights are then worked into the project by strategically puncturing the hard concrete shell for extra natural lighting.

The result is a perfectly protected, but totally open interior space. The only wall in the house is its ‘convertible’ façade, a double skin of folding glass and wooden mechanical louvers that can be activated with the push of a button to unwrap the whole house to the magnificent vistas of the sea, beach and horizon.

Designed by Michel Abboud for SOMA Architects, Batrun is a loft-like house located in Batrun, Lebanon.

Using a virtual knife to carve out a plane from the earth and raise it as if were annullable skin, we then inserted all the living functions directly underneath in the form of an open-floor plan with no partitions.

The concept was to import the typology of the New York Loft to the Lebanese coast in this unique seaside property. Skylights are worked into the roof structure by strategically puncturing the hard concrete shell to allow for extra natural lighting. The result is a perfectly protected, but totally open interior space.

The only wall in this house is its 'convertible' facade, a double skin of folding glass and wooden mechanical louvers that can be activated with the push of a button to literally unwrap the whole house to the magnificent vistas of the sea, beach and horizon.